Ryan Kerrigan DE, Purdue – 6-4, 263

POSITIVES:

• decent explosion off edge
• great motor
• quick and great use of hands
• knack for forcing fumbles (forced 7 fumbles in 09)
• good leg drive in bull rush
• good instincts
• sheds blocks well
• consistently pushes pocket
• can dip shoulder and get around edge
• relentless
• durable
• great work ethic
• good awareness and recognition
• good repertoire of pass rush moves
• extends arms into blocker well
• does a good job of getting under linemens’ pads to drive them back

NEGATIVES:

• may be a little small to play DE in NFL
• could stand to get stronger
• if he is made a linebacker in pros he has little experience dropping back into coverage
• not highly gifted athletically: it looks like he lumbers and lacks agility in pursuit, runs flat footed
• doesn’t keep his pad level down
• lacks a good first step
• isn’t great in space
• stiff in the hips
• inconsistent setting the edge

Projection: 1st round

SUMMARY: Kerrigan has been a force at defensive end of the Boilermakers this season. He’s got great stats and there’s no denying his play-making ability. He looks stiff in the hips and his pad level looked a little high to me sometimes. His high motor and relentlessness are great attributes that overshadow any lack of elite athleticism. When I first did this scouting report, I had him as a second rounder, but he has been proving me wrong ever since (not that he actually set out to prove me specifically wrong, of course).